Season 11
by HermioneHecate
Summary: An incredible tragedy sets off a chain of life-altering events for the team. What waits for them at the end of the road will live with them forever. Although we might never know how the show should have really ended, here's my vision of the doomed 11th season.
1. Descent, part 1

**A/N:** First of all, let me get this squared away: RIP "CSI: Miami." A senseless death.

As of this writing, I'm only planning it to be a half-season's worth (around 12 "episodes"). This may change as I add the "episodes" (i.e. chapters)…only time will tell.

I'm more of a character development kind of person, so if you're looking for good procedural action then this fic is not for you. I'm focusing solely on tying up most (if not all) of the loose ends (character-wise) that the cancellation of the show left behind. Most of the major ships will be touched on and/or resolved throughout my vision of Season 11.

Subsequently, I noticed that the fates of several characters were left in limbo in the series finale. I fully intend on resolving that issue as well.

Please R&R…although I've been writing fanfiction for eight years, reviews help me evolve as a writer.

Setting: 5 months after "Habeas Corpse."

**11X01: "Descent"**

Sunlight blanketed a homely living room. The scampering of little feet down the wood-floored hallways and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee brought an air of calm to a petite blonde making school lunches in the kitchen of a quaint yet welcoming house in a quiet Miami neighborhood.

This was finally the family Calleigh Duquesne desired her whole life. Although Austin and Patty North weren't her biological children, she loved them just as much. Her dreams were realized. Life couldn't get any better.

A pair of strong arms wrapped slowly around her waist, pulling her in to a tight embrace. She promised to let Eric Delko take the kids to school – and her to work – if he promised to help her with making the lunches.

"Good morning, doting mom," Eric Delko whispered in Calleigh's ear.

"Good morning, Eric," Calleigh chuckled. "So much for getting help with these lunches."

"Sorry, I-uh-ran into traffic on the causeway," Eric stuttered out. "First day of school. You nervous?"

"A little," she replied with one of her trademark smiles. "Now I know how all those parents feel like dropping their kids off."

"Calleigh, you _are_ a parent," Eric reminded her. "You're a mother."

Her eyes welled with tears. "I'm a mother," she choked out happily.

Eric hugged her again. "And a damn good one, too," he added. "Those kids love you so much."

Calleigh turned to face Eric. "Thank you for being there for me…for everything." Although their on-again, off-again relationship was on hiatus at the moment, she knew she could count on Eric in her time of need, even if it was something as trivial as school lunches. Then again, she could say that about anyone on the team.

Eric wiped away the tears that ran down her face, threatening to smudge her makeup. He eyed the shiny golden badge that rested on her hip, and he couldn't help but smile. He removed it to study the bold letters that proudly proclaimed Calleigh's new position: SERGEANT.

"Well, Sergeant Duquesne, are your children ready for school?"

Calleigh giggled. "Austin! Patty!" the blonde called out to the children. "Y'all better hurry up or you'll be late for school!"

"Coming Mom!" both children called in unison. Eric looked into Calleigh's eyes: he knew that the tag of "Mom" was still new, yet exciting, to her.

He smiled as he saw more tears threatening to flow in her eyes. "Alright Sarge, time for school."

* * *

Sunrise never failed to wake Ryan Wolfe. He sat upright in his bed to stretch for a moment before turning his attention to the still-sleeping form lying next to him.

"Hey," he whispered, gently resting his hand upon the woman's shoulder. "Sleep well?"

The sight of Natalia Boa Vista rising up to greet him – tussled hair, puffy eyes and all – brought a grin to Ryan's face. "Morning," she muttered groggily.

He took that as a yes. "Morning," he replied in amusement.

"What time is it?" she asked.

Ryan grabbed a remote off his nightstand and turned on the TV. "7."

Natalia groaned. It always took her a long time to get up in the mornings, and it didn't help that her new boyfriend was a textbook morning person. She studied him as he focused his attention to the morning news: their relationship was still quite fresh, but she already felt it was right. Ryan was different from all the other men she dated. He was genuinely interested in her life. He wasn't a one-night stand or a fuck buddy…he became her best friend.

Ryan felt that she was staring at him, so he looked back at her. "What?" he asked with a chuckle.

Natalia pulled the covers up to her chin. "Mmm…nothing. I'm just checking you out."

"Checking me out, huh?" Ryan inquired. "See anything you like?"

"Yeah. You'll do for now. I'm glad I said something at the bar."

He remembered that day five months ago like it was yesterday: dejected that he might never find "The One," she reassured him of his good qualities. Once the rest of the team left, and Ryan paid for his and his boss's drinks, the two of them had a lengthy discussion about what they meant to each other. A bit unconventional to be discussing romantic possibilities at that stage, but they had already gone on a date or two so they knew that something was there. All it took was a spark.

He nudged her playfully and got out of bed to encourage her to do the same. "Me too. It took some balls to say it in front of the team, too. We'd better get ready soon or Horatio's going to have our asses. I'm going to hop in the shower real quick. Want to save time and join me?"

Natalia flashed Ryan a brilliant smile that rivaled Calleigh's trademark. "Absolutely!" she replied with a newfound sense of energy.

The lovers quickly stripped their bodies of what few garments they were wearing and tossed them to the floor. They gathered each other in an embrace for a quick albeit passionate kiss until Ryan broke the kiss. His eyes widened in horror after something on the news caught his eye.

"Oh my god," Ryan whispered inches from Natalia's face, his gaze still fixed on the glowing screen.

"Babe, what's wrong?" she asked before she turned around to look at the TV. "Oh my god," she repeated after she realized what she was watching.

* * *

"Sergeant Duquesne, CSI Delko, do you have anything to say about Kyle Harmon?"

A swarm of reporters surrounded Calleigh and Eric as they approached the Miami Dade Crime Lab for what they hoped would be just another day at work. One mention of their boss's son, however, meant that their day just became anything but ordinary.

"If I knew anything about Kyle," Calleigh responded. "What happened?" Deep down, however, she knew that something was very wrong. Kyle was currently serving in Afghanistan with the Army. She didn't want to fear the worst, but the thought lingered in the back of her mind.

The reporters retreated slightly; it had seemed that Horatio Caine's loyal band of CSIs were unaware of what happened overnight.

A frown crossed Calleigh's face. Her heart nearly stopped. "What happened to Kyle?" she asked a female reporter.

The reporter looked genuinely frightened of the petite blonde who addressed her. Calleigh was the infamous Bullet Girl of MDPD, after all.

"I'm not going to ask you again," Calleigh warned.

"Kyle Harmon…was killed in action," the reporter stammered.

"Oh my god," Calleigh whispered to herself. She knew her LT would be devastated. Kyle was Horatio Caine's only child and the only semblance of normalcy in his chaotic and outright tragic life. She didn't know everything about Horatio's past – she only had a sparse idea of the horrors the brave Lieutenant survived throughout his life.

The sound of doors being swung open in a fury startled the crowd gathered in the front of the Crime Lab. Natalia and Ryan sprinted toward them. "Calleigh!" Natalia called after her.

Tears flowed down Calleigh's cheeks as the two women attempted to comfort one another. "This is bad," she whispered in Natalia's ear.

"Very bad," she replied, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her sobs. "We need to find H."

Calleigh pulled away from her friend. "He's not here?"

Ryan and Natalia both shook their heads. Calleigh's instincts as second-in-command kicked in immediately. It was shockingly uncharacteristic for their boss to not be the first one in for the shift.

"Alright, y'all go inside and be ready for any call-outs. I'm going to see if he's at his house."

The three walked back inside with heavy hearts. Calleigh ran to a department Hummer and sped off toward the first place she deduced he might be.

* * *

"Please honor Lieutenant Caine's wishes and leave," an exotic voice sounded from behind the door.

"Yelina, it's Calleigh," she replied desperately.

Almost immediately after hearing the familiar Southern twang, Yelina Salas flung the door open. Her eyes were red and puffy from unceasing tears. She nodded respectfully to the blonde, and allowed her to enter Horatio's home.

"I thought you might have been the press looking for comment," Yelina explained.

"I understand," Calleigh replied.

Calleigh studied Yelina: it had been a few years since she last saw the Colombian, but she still cut a striking – albeit intimidating – figure.

Yelina eyed the glint of gold hanging from Calleigh's pants. "Congratulations on making Sergeant, Calleigh."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

The two women stood at the doorway for an awkward second before Calleigh extended her arms out to hug her former coworker. No one back at the lab knew what happened to Yelina after she and her son left for Brazil with Horatio's brother Raymond. Calleigh always believed her to be dead after Horatio told her that the Mala Noche gang killed Raymond.

"Is he here?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes, he's in his bedroom."

The two made their way down a dark hallway.

"I'm so sorry about Kyle. No one at the lab knew until we were swarmed by reporters."

Yelina shook her head and balled her hands into fists. "Damn it," was all she could say in reply.

Calleigh's heart dropped as they approached the door that closed Horatio off from the rest of the world. Yelina turned the doorknob and opened the door gently.

A lone figure clad in only a white t-shirt and boxer shorts sat at the foot of a large bed. He must have received the news as he was getting ready for work, for he had yet to shave or comb his fiery red hair. His eyes remained fixed on a single spot on the floor. The fearless airs he put on every day for his job was stripped from him then, and his true self lay bare for all to witness.

Calleigh knelt in front of the mourning man. "Handsome," she choked as she took his head in her hands. His pained blue eyes looked up and met her green ones at the mention of her old term of endearment for him.

"Sweetheart," he whispered with quivering lips. Try as she might, his Bullet Girl could no longer hold back the tears that stung at her eyes. The Sergeant gently wrapped her arms around the Lieutenant's neck. Horatio returned the favor and placed his shaking hands on her back. Yelina nodded at the actions respectfully.

"I'm…so sorry, Horatio," Calleigh stammered.

"Thank you," was all he could muster. His hands clenched at the fabric of her blazer. "Thank you."

"Do you two need a minute?" Yelina asked.

"Please," Calleigh pleaded. "It'll only take a minute."

"I'll whip up some breakfast, then." Yelina shut the door behind her.

Calleigh turned back to face Horatio. She stroked his tear-stained cheeks with her hand. "Handsome, I know you're in pain," she whispered.

Horatio's sobs did little to calm the situation. "I'm sorry," he said through clenched teeth. "I'm so sorry."

Calleigh put her arms around his neck again. "Don't be. You've suffered a terrible loss today. Let it out…let it all out."

"I have…nothing left," he choked out, burying his face in her shoulder. "Kyle…he was all I had in this world."

"That's not true," she whispered. "You still have Yelina and Ray Jr. You still have the team…you still have me."

"Oh…god…" he sobbed into her shoulder.

Calleigh held him tighter. "I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose Austin and Patty. I don't want to…I don't ever want to. What you're feeling…no one should have to go through that, especially alone. Don't go down that road alone. I will walk it with you."

"Just like the old days," he finished.

Calleigh smiled. "I've always been there for you, Horatio, and I always will be."

Horatio surprised Calleigh by grabbing her hands in his. "I know you are."

"Horatio…"

He looked at the small hands within his. "Why didn't we ever work out?"

"What?"

"I thought…we could have been there for each other…on different levels."

"I don't think we should talk about this right now. I know you've suffered a big loss, but you should take some time off and relax. Okay? We'll talk about this very soon. For now, though, I need to get back to work. I'll come back tonight and make sure you're okay."

Horatio nodded. "Thank you."

Calleigh gave him one more hug before leaving his bedroom. Yelina approached her in the hall.

"You'll watch after him, right?" the blonde asked the brunette.

"Of course."

TBC


	2. Descent, part 2

**A/N:** I work in local television news, so I slipped in some jargon. For those who don't know, "b-roll" refers to video footage used in newscasts.

Major character revelation coming your way in this "episode!"

Ships ahoy!

**11X02: "Descent, part 2"**

"We have continuing coverage on a tragic setback for a high-ranking Miami Dade Police officer…"

"…the Department of Defense confirms Harmon's unit was ambushed…"

"…we have been unable to get comment from Lieutenant Caine or the Miami Dade Crime Lab at this time…"

"…our crews captured the heartbreaking moment when Sergeant Calleigh Duquesne learned of Harmon's death…"

The b-roll of Calleigh and Natalia comforting each other played nonstop during the local newscasts that day. Reporters seized every angle, focused their cameras on the Lab's every move. Calleigh eventually turned off all the TVs in the building. Enough was enough.

Since it seemed as if all of Miami were glued to their TVs, waiting for any new development in the story, there was nothing for Calleigh to do that day, so she wandered down to her sanctuary.

Firing off multiple rounds from her gun, Calleigh was grateful that the sound could mask the fact that she was sobbing uncontrollably. Everything was becoming such a mess with the team. No one had really gotten over the shock after Sam Owens was found to have killed ASA Josh Avery. Things were still complicated with Eric, but now Horatio had dropped a bombshell on her.

_He looked at the small hands within his. "Why didn't we ever work out?"_

"_What?"_

"_I thought…we could have been there for each other…on different levels."_

The moment played out in her mind over and over again.

_He has feelings for me, _she told herself. _After all this time…_

She flung off the earmuffs from her head, re-holstered her gun, and ran back up to the Lab area.

"Eric, watch over everything," she commanded of him. "I'm heading out 30 minutes early today to make sure Horatio is alright. Can you watch Austin and Patty until I get home? I shouldn't be too long."

"Sure," Eric responded with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Sergeant Duquesne?" a voice sounded behind her. MDPD Captain John Marquez. He only stuck his head in the Crime Lab if something big was going down.

"Captain Marquez, hi," Calleigh replied, smiling in his direction.

"I'm terribly sorry about Lieutenant Caine. Please tell him we're all thinking about him."

"Thank you, that will mean a lot to him."

"If you don't have anything pressing tomorrow morning, I'd like to meet with you in my office regarding some new developments. It will only take 15 minutes or so."

Calleigh nodded. "That won't be a problem."

"Excellent," the Captain replied. "I'll see you at 9 sharp."

The drive back to his house was all a blur; all Calleigh could think of was resolving this new complication with Horatio, although she didn't know how she felt about everything. She had been his right hand for 15 years, and they knew more about each other than the others. They both knew what the other took in their coffee. She learned that he loved to fish when she accompanied him at the lake one chilly morning 10 years ago. He knew she had a secret passion for reggae music, and she knew he had an impressive collection of '70s punk LPs (compiled when he was a teenager in New York).

However, she knew he hadn't told her everything about his life, and he didn't know everything about hers. Everyone knew his father killed his mother, but only she and Eric knew who killed his father. However, she wasn't made completely aware of his shitty childhood. It was the biggest secret that everyone suspected but couldn't confirm. It was one of the very few things he kept from her. That would change. She resolved, in her quest to reveal her true self to Horatio, to lay everything out on the table.

_I know he's no angel, but neither am I. _

The sight of multiple news trucks gathered in the street in front of Horatio's house startled her. _Damn it, they just don't quit._

Calleigh parked her car nearby, and with a newfound sense of disgusted defiance, pushed past the inquiring reporters and stood at the doorstep to address them all.

"I'm only going to tell y'all this once," she told the crowd after they gathered around her. "Leave now or I'm having y'all arrested for stalking. Lieutenant Caine does not wish to comment on the situation."

Without turning her back to the reporters, Calleigh rang the doorbell, knowing Yelina would open the door for her. When the door was unlocked, Calleigh told the reporters that she wanted them all gone in 5 minutes, then slipped inside.

"I took care of the press," Calleigh told Yelina. "They'll be gone soon."

Yelina smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.

"How is he?"

"Still in the same spot," Yelina replied gloomily. "He's only said a few words to me all day."

Calleigh's heart sank. "Look, Yelina, I know you want to be there for him, but you sound exhausted being cooped up in this house all day. Take a few hours off, okay? I'll stay with him. Let me try to talk to him. I need to ask him if he knows why Captain Marquez requested a meeting with me for tomorrow morning."

"Captain Marquez?" Yelina asked her, wide-eyed. "I hope it's nothing serious."

"For me or Horatio."

Yelina nodded. "I'm going to call Ray Jr. It was his first day at Florida State."

"Congratulations for both of you," Calleigh said. "Tell him the team says hello."

"I will. And I'll make sure the reporters are gone for you."

"Thanks," Calleigh said before she turned toward Horatio's bedroom.

She felt knocking wouldn't make any difference, and opened the door. "Knock knock," she said in a soft voice. Horatio's head shot up at the sound of the familiar Southern twang.

"Sweetheart," he whispered. "You came back."

Calleigh kneeled in front of where he sat on the bed. "Of course I did, Handsome."

"Thank you," he replied.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm not going to lie, it hurts," he admitted. "But I'm going to take it day by day."

"That's about all you can do. I know you'll make it out okay. I'm here for you regardless."

Horatio smiled. "Thank you. That means more to me than you know."

"I'm going to get to the point," she said without hesitation. "Do you know why Captain Marquez requested a meeting with me?"

Horatio took a deep breath. "They're making a few…personnel changes…in several departments," he explained. "We're one of those departments."

"Any reason why?"

"People in key positions are retiring, and they need those positions filled ASAP."

"Captain Dorsey."

"Mmm hmm. He's on his way out…and they want me to head up all of Miami Dade CSI."

"Congratulations, Horatio," Calleigh replied before giving him a hug. "Why does that concern me, though? I just got promoted."

"If you accept, you'll be the new day shift supervisor. You'll have to trade up for a Lieutenant's badge, though."

"They're going to make you Captain?"

"They are. And I'm grateful for the chance, but I will miss being out in the field…working with certain Sergeants."

"I'm assuming you don't mean Frank."

"I don't," Horatio replied with a small smile. "It's going to be hard to let go of something I've had for the past 15 years."

She took in a big breath. _Here goes._ "I think we need to have that conversation now."

Horatio nodded. "I agree. I think I scared you this morning, Sweetheart."

"I'm not going to lie to you. Yes, you did. But it's because I didn't expect you to say what you said to me."

"I meant every word."

"I know, Horatio," she said, taking his hands with hers. "But I'm not perfect, not by a long shot. I'm not proud of my past, just like I know you're not proud of yours."

Horatio gave Calleigh's hands a light squeeze. "What are you saying, Calleigh?"

"If you knew what I've lived through, what I've experienced, you'd see me differently. You'd treat me differently."

"You know, it's a double-edged sword…"

"…Which is why we need to have this conversation."

Horatio sighed heavily. "You're the only one I can trust with all my being. You've stood next to me for 15 years…weathering every storm. You know me better than anyone…"

"…But I don't know everything, do I?" Calleigh interrupted. "And you don't know everything. This is why we need to talk. You're broken. So am I."

"Calleigh…"

"I was 15 when I was raped. A classmate snuck up behind me when I was walking home from school."

Horatio squeezed her hands harder. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You're the only one outside of the family who does. It's not something I'm going to tell everyone, obviously. And I'm not going to tell just anyone about what we did to him. I'm not going to tell Eric that my brothers dragged him out of the movies on a Saturday night and into the woods. I'm not going to tell Natalia that we beat him within an inch of his life until the police could haul him away. I'm not going to tell the team that he will never be free again because of what he did to me. I lost something that night, but what I gained helped shape who I am today. It's why I put on my badge every day."

Horatio studied her silently, picturing a young Calleigh standing with her brothers with blood on her hands, proud of having served up her own brand of justice. "Sweetheart…"

"I have never had a normal relationship with a man. It's not because I was afraid of being intimate with them, but because there was something deep down that was keeping me from trusting them. It's different with you…it's been that way since the beginning. I knew, from the moment we first met, that you would lay down your life to save mine if you had to. And I want to make it clear that I would do the same for you in a heartbeat."

Horatio wiped away one of his own tears. "You…you trust me that much?"

"I do," Calleigh affirmed, placing a hand over his heart to comfort him. "But I know you've suffered too. I know that whatever it is, it's been with you all your life, smothering you, preventing you from having a normal existence…normal relationships. Open up to me, Horatio. Trust me with your heart."

Horatio paused for a moment in an attempt to regain control of his emotions. He was failing miserably for the first time in his life. He didn't cry for himself, he was past that. These tears were new, raw…he was crying for her.

"Well," he started with a shaky voice, "you know about my parents, and how I was forced to intervene on a situation that did not end well for anyone who was there."

Calleigh nodded, noting that his heartbeat had quickened under her touch. Whatever he was about to tell her was clearly having an effect on him.

"It wasn't an isolated event. We all endured years of torment at the hands of my father."

"You were abused," Calleigh whispered, softly rubbing a small area of his chest.

"I was…in more ways than one."

Calleigh closed her eyes. She felt her own tears forming. "Oh, Horatio." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly to her.

"I tried to keep him from hurting my mother, but it always got worse for me."

Calleigh sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Handsome."

"I know…I know. I just wish…I could have stopped him from killing her."

The scene flashed in his mind: New York City, 1980. It was unseasonably warm that day. He had just finished his shift and came home to his tiny one bedroom apartment near the precinct. Rookie cop fresh on the beat, but he knew the streets and the people he protected. Little brother Raymond called from his girlfriend Yelina's place, worried that Mom hadn't picked up when he tried to call their childhood home. Sprinting the 5 blocks. Kicking the door in…blood pooling on the floor, the bastard standing over her body with a steak knife. Anger flashing in his eyes. _What the fuck have you done? Get out of here, Horatio!_ Un-holstering the gun, one shot square between the eyes…fuck protocol, he'd claim self-defense. _Mom! Mom! _Death was cradling her, cooing her to come home. She had lost too much blood. Her beautiful red hair matted with blood. _I'm sorry it turned out this way…I love you Horatio..._

A kiss on the cheek broke his painful memory. "Oh, Horatio…"

"Calleigh…we're both broken."

"Two broken hearts can't mend each other. We both have been hurt in the worst ways possible. What if we destroy each other? I don't want my insecurities and mental blocks to push me away from you. Your heart is too fragile for that."

Horatio ducked his head. "I understand. I'm a difficult man to get along with."

"No…I just don't want our problems to tear us apart. What would happen if this didn't work out?"

Horatio cupped her tear-stained cheek with his hand. "What if it did work out?"

"What if it did?" she echoed, placing a gentle peck on his lips.

"What if it did?" he repeated before carefully seizing her lips with his.

Passion escalating…Calleigh slipped her hand underneath Horatio's shirt, running her fingers over his creamy skin. Goosebumps rippled under her touch.

"We're walking…a dangerous line," she muttered between kisses.

"Haven't we always?" he asked her.

"Not this dangerous," she replied.

"You're not pushing me away," he countered.

"I don't want to," she said as she pulled his shirt over his head and flung it to the floor.

"You know…we can't turn back now."

Calleigh removed her blazer. "We'll just have to live with those consequences."

Horatio studied her as she quickly stripped down to her bra and underwear. His silence was not lost on her.  
"Horatio, please say something."

He tried to form the words he had been waiting for 15 years to say to her: _I love you_. But they wouldn't come. His mouth and his brain were out of sync. He imagined he looked like a fool sitting there silently moving his mouth in a futile attempt to tell her everything. More tears threatened in his eyes…he felt like a child again, crying because he was powerless against the forces acting upon him. He couldn't even say three little words to her when he needed to.

Calleigh straddled either side of his waist and delivered a devastating kiss to his lips. "I'm here for you now. I always will be here."

Horatio cautiously rested his hands on her bare hips. "I've never…had anyone…anyone…say that to me."

"I'm not anyone, am I?" she whispered to him, face inches from his.

"No…you're everything to me."

Calleigh gently pushed on his chest, urging his body to lie back on his bed. Her hands traveled down his chest, down his waist, and briefly came to rest at the waistband of his boxers before she slowly pulled the garment down his legs, exposing him.

Horatio's heart leapt about in his chest nervously. He was afraid he was insufficient for her…after all, she could have any man she wanted. He was just…average.

"Oh," he gasped. He felt himself growing between his thighs, but he couldn't look.

"Horatio, don't be ashamed."

He covered his face with his hands to shield his violent blushing.

"Horatio, look at me," she ordered before pulling his hands off his face. "Horatio…" She had removed her bra, and the swell of her chest pressed up against the flat expanse of his.  
"I'm sorry," he gasped.

"Look at me, Horatio."

His eyelids opened, and teary blues met green. Peace flooded his body when he realized she wore not a look of disgust, but one of reassurance.

"Just relax, and let your heart begin to heal. Do that for me, Handsome. Let go of your troubles…even if it's just for tonight. I'll catch you."

"I couldn't ask that of you, Calleigh. I couldn't."

"You're not going to hurt me, Handsome. What happened to me happened a long time ago."

Her hands stroked him reassuringly.

"Calleigh…agh." His primal instincts reared its ugly head.

"I need you, Horatio."

Tunnel vision clouded his capacity for rational thought. His hands absentmindedly pulled at her panties until he was rid of them. Calleigh guided his swollen member to her and tugged it closer, coaxing him to finish the deed.

Instincts seized full control and he entered her. Perfect fit. Her loud moaning was evidence that she came to the same conclusion.

"No going back," she gasped as he bucked his hips to explore more of her velvet woman-dom.

"Only…if you're okay with that," he replied.

Calleigh attacked his lips with hers, lashing her tongue inside his mouth. He pushed harder and deeper inside of her – all the while rubbing his thumb along her folds – until he felt her tense up around his member. She was at the cusp of climax.

"Come on, Sweetheart," he commanded her.

A wave of ecstasy crashed over her. "Oh GOD!" she screamed, allowing the tremors of her orgasm rattle her down to her bones. Her fingernails dug into his chest, drawing a trickle of blood from the fresh wounds on his skin.

"Oh, agh!" he gasped, the pressure becoming too much.

"Let go for me," Calleigh cooed in his ear. "You can trust me."

Horatio gave one final thrust before he released himself inside of her. He pulled her close to him and held her tight in his arms.

"No going back," he whispered in her ear.

* * *

Three rings and the sound of a man piped up. "Hello?" the voice on the other end of the line said cautiously.

"Ron Saris, nice to meet you," a sinister-sounding man greeted him.

"Who is this?" Ron snapped back.

"All you need to know right now is that my name is Darren Vogel…you'll come to know me very well soon enough," he responded. "I need your help, Ron."


	3. Undercurrent

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay…job transferred me to another state, so I've been busy with that for the past month or so. But, I'm back!

Setting: next day

Yelina studied Horatio's back. He stood in front of the mirror, silent, unmoving, staring at his reflection. He was clearly deep in thought.

She slowly approached him, careful so as not to startle him. When she placed her hand on his shoulder, she was relieved that he did not jump under her touch.

He turned his head to acknowledge her. "Hey," he chuckled.

"You okay?" she asked, smiling.

"Of course," he responded.

She stood in disbelief when he answered the door earlier in work clothes. "Are you sure you're ready to go back? They'll understand if you need more time."

"I need to go back. People need me."

"Jesus, Horatio, why can't you think of yourself for once? Your son has been gone for only 24 hours, and you want to go back to work?"

"Yelina, please…"

"No, this is not right!" she shouted, her hands furiously slicing through the air. "You need time to grieve! You need time for yourself!"

"I need to get back to work," Horatio pleaded in a calm voice. "That's the therapy I need."

Yelina threw up her hands resignedly. "I'll never fully understand you, Horatio."

He turned to face her. "It's okay," he responded, cupping her cheek with his hand. "Trust me, I need to get back."

Yelina nodded, and quickly changed the subject. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

"Can I make a cup of coffee for you?"

"Sure."

She disappeared into the faint light of dawn that began to creep into the hallway. Horatio turned his attention back to his reflection in the mirror.

A glint of anger flashed in his eyes for a moment. He thought he was beginning to look too much like his father. The red hair and silent fury came straight from Bill Caine, but Horatio's eyes still contained a hint of hope…of life. Bill Caine's eyes were cold…dead.

He swore he would never become him. Horatio was not a bad man…he devoted his entire life to ridding the streets of evil people like Bill Caine.

Lately, though, he felt something different deep down. Something was changing. The anger that flashed in his eyes sometimes stewed in his heart, threatening to spill over and consume him. It scared the hell out of him.

"What's happening to me?" he whispered to the Horatio in the mirror. He only stared back. Of course he wouldn't answer…he was just his reflection.

"That's enough," he told himself. He splashed cold water on his face to shake the foreign feeling, and grabbed his suit jacket to join Yelina in his kitchen.

"Smells good," he said as she poured the liquid into two cups.

Yelina smiled in return. Something was fishy here.

Horatio raised one eyebrow. He knew Yelina long enough to know when she had something on her mind.

"What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head before taking a sip from his cup.

"Did you have sex with Calleigh last night?" Yelina asked.

Scalding hot coffee shot out of Horatio's nostrils. He struggled for breath, engaged in a coughing fit, and gasped as air finally returned to his lungs. "Wh-what?"

"You slept with her, when she was comforting you," she said in a cocksure manner as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Words failed Horatio. How did Yelina figure it out? "Uhhh…"

"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" she whispered inches from his lips.

Horatio's icy blue eyes glared right into hers. "That…is none of your business."

Yelina placed a soft kiss on his lips. Horatio felt a shudder run through his body. "You think I'm jealous, Horatio?" she whispered between more kisses.

He fought his body for control. As much as he dreamt about moments such as this, he knew the possibility of a future with Yelina was lost with the past. She had her own life, he had his, and their worlds could never merge. "Yelina…please," he begged, an erection threatening to tear down what little resistance he was putting up.

"What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing…we've only had that one time."

"Do you wish you had more?"

Horatio studied her. "I don't know, to be honest," he replied. Trying to squirm out of an increasingly uncomfortable situation, he kept getting pulled back by Yelina's determination to get the whole story out of him.

"You love her, don't you?" she asked as she finally relinquished the hold she had on him.

Horatio stood there, shocked. What was Yelina trying to accomplish here? Was she trying to get the scoop on the competition? Not that there was any at the moment.

"I'm not…going to answer that."

Yelina's eyes dimmed, yet her gaze never faltered. "Okay, then," was all she had to say to him before focusing her attention on her own cup of coffee.

The car ride to drop Austin and Patty off at school was a tense one for Eric. Calleigh had said only a handful of words to him all morning. Something had definitely happened the night before when she went to talk to Horatio. The kids didn't seem to notice; they were off in their own conversation in the back seat.

"Alright, guys, here we are!" Eric trumpeted as he pulled in front of the entrance to the school. Without saying a word, Calleigh got out of the car to usher the kids to the doors. Eric studied her as she hugged them and wished them a good day.

"Okay..." Eric started when she got back in the car. "You want to tell me what's going on? Did something happen last night at Horatio's house?"

Calleigh bowed her head, taking in a big sigh. "Something did happen," she replied, barely above a whisper. He sensed she was choking back tears.

"Well, what?"

Calleigh knew that telling Eric about her sexual encounter with their boss would do more harm than good, especially since their own relationship was a big question mark. But, she had to say something to try and get him off her back.

"Horatio…he asked me why we never worked out."

"Worked out? Like romantically?"

Calleigh looked up at Eric. "Yeah. This was the first time he brought it up. I never knew he saw me like that…at least at one point."

Eric chuckled. Calleigh was relieved he was taking this well. "I do remember you helping him cope after Megan left."

"_Horatio?" Calleigh asked concernedly. He had been distant from the team that day, so many years ago._

_The redhead looked up from the ground at the mention of his name. "Calleigh, it's late. I thought I signed off on all the reports today."_

_Calleigh smiled. "You did, I just…I noticed you weren't yourself today. Is everything alright?"_

_Horatio smiled a sad smile. "Megan…resigned today."_

_Calleigh hugged him. "Oh god, Horatio. I'm so sorry."_

_He rested his hands on her back. "She said the job reminded her too much of Shawn."_

"_What happens now?"_

"_Well, I'm now the day shift supervisor, and…I need an assistant. I would like for it to be you."_

_She hugged him tighter. "Of course. I'll do anything."_

"_I need you…to help me run this team…"_

"But I never took it as a sign of affection. He was obviously thrust into that situation quicker than he anticipated. I always thought he was desperate for my help."

Eric nodded. "H is a hard one to understand sometimes."

Calleigh shook her head. "That's for damn sure."

"So…did he kiss you or anything?"

"No," she lied. "His confession is what's bothering me. I mean, did he feel that way when he was with Marisol, with Yelina?"

"He was with Yelina?" Eric asked.

"Well…I can't confirm it, but come on Eric. When she worked in Homicide they were nearly inseparable."

"She's his sister-in-law. Maybe he was trying to look after her after Raymond died."

"Maybe, but they looked awfully close."

Eric shrugged. "I don't think Horatio could fully shake the fact that they were related. He couldn't see her as more than his relative."

Calleigh buried her face in her hands and began to sob loudly. "Oh Eric! This is all so confusing."

"What do you mean?"

She looked up at him, her eyes freshly red with tears. "Everything with him…everything with you."

"Everything with me?"

"I know this thing between us is all complicated, and now Horatio may be in love with me!"

"Calleigh…we took a break, we didn't break up."

"I know..."

Eric shifted his body to face her. "Are you ready to do this again?"

Calleigh smiled a sad smile. "No, I'm not."

"H…"

Natalia whipped her head to the side when she heard Ryan mutter their boss' name. There he stood inside the Crime Lab, only a day after he learned his son was dead. He looked like he had never been there before.

"I wonder if he's okay," Natalia whispered to her lover. Ryan nodded.

Horatio noticed the two looking at him, so he began to walk in their direction.

"Miss Boa Vista, Mister Wolfe," Horatio greeted them in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

As if by instinct, Natalia gave her boss a tight hug. Horatio fought back tears and could do little more than hug her back.

"H, how are you holding up?" she asked him.

"I'm okay, ma'am," he responded.

"H, you know you don't have to be back today," Ryan said as he took his turn to hug the Lieutenant.

"I know, Mister Wolfe. It wasn't doing me any good sitting at home all day, worrying about this place."

"We've got everything under control, H," Natalia said with a fresh set of tears in her eyes. "Calleigh is holding down the fort for you."

Horatio's eyes widened slightly. Calleigh. She might still be in Captain Marquez' office, sorting out her future with MDPD.

Horatio looked at the two young CSIs standing before him. "Has anyone been in touch with Calleigh today?"

Ryan shook his head. "Eric told us she had some business to attend to at 9, but that it shouldn't take all morning."

The ding of the elevator diverted their attention as Calleigh stepped on to their floor. Horatio felt his heart leap in his chest. Just a glint of the familiar golden locks was enough to cause the world to collapse around him.

Calleigh could only stare back at what she considered an unbelievable sight: Horatio already back at work.

His focus on his right hand woman was not lost on Natalia and Ryan. If the couple were to slip away to leave the gold badges alone, their absence would go unnoticed. Calleigh's eyes were only on her LT.

Natalia and Ryan quietly slipped out of earshot to observe their fearless leaders.

"Handsome," she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I…I'm coming back to work," he replied, stroking her dainty cheeks. "How was your meeting with Marquez?"

Calleigh stared at him in disbelief. "Horatio…"

"I know what you're thinking, Sweetheart, but I need to be here."

She could do little more but stare at him. His deep blue eyes never ceased to be so devastating.

"I just…I just don't want anything to happen to you," she explained.

A faint smile creased his face. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, for it was rare indeed.

"I'll be fine," he replied, placing a lone hand on her forearm. "I promise."

Calleigh grinned in an almost seductive manner. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"I…I don't think I could go on if I lost you."

"Don't say that," she nearly cried out, reaching for his hand. "We're going to be okay."

Horatio's heart leapt about in his chest at her gesture. He looked down at the hand contained within hers, then up into her eyes. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

She blushed at his confession. It was uncharacteristic of him to be so open. "Horatio!"

"I felt it needed to be said."

She squeezed the hand she still held. "Thank you, but we should cool it on the flirting." After all, they were among the largest collection of astute observers in all of Miami. Their coworkers would catch on quickly, and two of them were already suspicious.

"She grabbed his hand!" Natalia exclaimed within the protection the break room offered. "Did you see that?"

"Unbelievable," Ryan replied, handing his girlfriend a cup of coffee. "I didn't even know she was into him like that."

Natalia took a sip of the hot liquid. "Maybe they've been together all this time and have been keeping it as one hell of a secret."

Although it was no secret that Horatio and Calleigh were close, the prospect of romance between the two was a new one for anyone on the team.

"How do you explain Marisol, then?" Ryan countered.

Natalia looked at him with a curious glance.

"I'm coming over tonight to check on you," Calleigh told her LT.

Horatio tilted his head, grinning. "Oh?"

"Don't hold your breath, Handsome."

"I know, I was giving you a hard time."

Calleigh shot him an incredulous look. "You had better take it easy today. I'm backlogged, so I need to get to work. I'll see you tonight."

Only the slapping of a gentle wave against the desolate pier could be heard then. It was almost too quiet for Ron Saris' taste.

At that moment, a Town Car with blacked out windows could be seen approaching from the distance. This appeared to be the car Ron was to look out for. His hand rested behind his back, palming the pistol hidden under his shirt, just in case.

Once the car came to a stop nearby, the back door opened and an older, sinster-looking man stepped out. When he saw that Ron was indeed standing on the pier like they had arranged, he waved in greeting.

"Ron Saris, I presume?" the older man piped up as he got closer to Ron.

"You're talkin' to him," Ron replied. The two exchanged handshakes. "How did you find me, Mr. Vogel?"

Darren grinned. "You'll find that my influence extends to every corner of this city. You were hard to track down, I'll admit, but that speaks well for you. Harder to be…found."

One of Ron's eyebrows shot up. "What do you know about me, Darren my man?"

"You ran quite a profitable ammunitions operation until you were foiled by one Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

"Caine!" Ron shouted. He whipped out the pistol and aimed it at Darren's head. "Who the fuck are you, Vogel? You're in with Caine, aren't you?"

Darren laughed heartily. "You're a riot, Saris. And no, I'm not in cahoots with the good Lieutenant. I know all about your current gig as an informant, and that Horatio Caine can't touch you no matter how hard he tried. But, I want what I assume you want."

Ron lowered his pistol. "I want Caine dead. He ruined everything."

Darren smiled at the younger man. "I'm glad we are at consensus on that point, Mr. Saris. I would want him out of the picture too, given what he's taken from you. Julia, that was her name, right?"

"Yeah. He turned her against me. What did he do to you?"

Darren took in a deep breath, then sighed heavily. "To put it plainly, he was instrumental in derailing my…ambitions. I had big plans for this city, but he didn't see eye to eye."

Ron nodded. "Well then, how do you suppose we deal with this nuisance?"

Darren grinned. "Let's go for a ride, shall we? We have places to go, people to meet."

TBC.


End file.
